The Future Chronicles (Swan Queen Week Summer 2015)
by BulletStrong
Summary: Entries for Swan Queen Week 2015. All prompts are set years in the future. All about Emma and Regina.
1. Day One: Bed Sharing

**A/N:** This is for day 1 of SQW. The prompt is 'Bed Sharing' and it is set years in the future with no Hook or Hood. Please enjoy!

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It was a scorching heat that made your clothes stick to your body uncomfortably and the nape of your neck collect sweat. So when Regina's central air sputtered out one Monday evening, she almost cried in frustration. Henry was set to arrive any moment. Emma and Regina had become best friends after saving her from the clutches of the darkness years before and after recovering from the ordeal, the two came up with a schedule to share their son. Regina had him from Monday evening until Thursday evening and Emma would have him the rest of the week. Usually parents wanted the weekends with their child to unwind but Regina became such a homebody that she preferred helping him with his homework and feeding him dinner than being dragged to baseball games and playing at the arcade. That was Emma's 'thing'. Regina had pointed that out, saying that Emma was still a child in every way.

Though the arrangement became a bit muddled as the two women spent so much time together that it seemed like they weren't even co-parenting. For example, the night the air conditioning went to hell, Emma and Henry were going to join her for dinner then, while Henry went to his room to watch TV, the two women would sit in the study, talk about their day, and drink wine or beer.

Thus, the air conditioning going out not only made her home become an oven but it ruined her favorite thing: dinner with the one's she loved. And yes, she loved Emma too, had for a long time. Of course, it was her best-kept secret, until Henry caught on and confronted her. Regina begged him to keep quiet and so far, so good. But he always managed to throw her a smirk whenever he caught her giving Emma what he liked to call 'heart eyes', which was preposterous. She did not make googly eyes at the Savior. She was a queen and much more refined. She did not put her feelings so blatantly on display, especially not after the Robin Hood debacle.

But he still smirked when she opened the door that night to greet them. The moment Emma entered the mansion, she whistled and began to fan herself, "Shit, it's hot as balls in here."

"My central air went down," She gently shut the door behind the blonde, "I called for repair but they said they can't come out until tomorrow night."

Emma groaned, a look of concern on her stunning features, "You're not staying here, are you?"

Regina strolled into the living room with Henry and Emma in tow, "I was thinking of packing a small suitcase and heading over to Granny's B&B tonight."

The brunette saw a flash of mischief flash in her son's eyes before he stepped between them, his eyes darting from one mother to another. Suddenly, he plastered an innocent expression before pleading, "Mom, you can't stay at some dingy inn. Why don't you come to the house for the night? I'll take the couch and you and Ma can share the bed in the loft."

Regina chuckled uncomfortably as her hands grasped his now broad shoulders. He was taller than the both of them and it was quite sad to see her little prince grow so quickly. But her irritation slammed full force, "The inn is fine. Spending a night with your grandparents and I'd rip my hair out."

He flinched when her hold on his shoulders got a bit tighter, warning him for insisting. Unfortunately, Emma did it for him, "Come on, Gina, I'd feel more comfortable if you were surrounded by family. And that B&B has really gone down since Ruby started at the station. Please, come with us to the house. I can call Snow and she'll make extra food."

She didn't even wait for Regina's consent before running out of the room to call her mother but the moment that door closed behind the blonde, Regina turned to glare at her son furiously, "Henry! I asked you to stop setting these situations up after that night you tricked us into having dinner alone!"

He raised his hands in surrender and shrugged, "She has feelings for you too, Mom! I can see it. She just needs a little push, that's all!"

Regina groaned, having heard this a million times. Henry, even at nineteen years old and studying at a nearby University, believed in happy endings and true love. He also thought that his mothers were meant to be so he constantly set up situations that could lead to intimacy between them.

One night he called Regina to tell her that he was driving home early from school after a class was cancelled and that he would love to have dinner with her. She should've seen the scam from a mile away but her excitement overshadowed logic and she agreed. He sent her directions to an Italian restaurant, which should have tipped her off to the scheme but she just entered the establishment to find Emma sitting at the reserved table instead of her son. Not only that, the little sneak had the employers spread rose petals on the tabletop and a violinist off to the side. Then Henry proceeded to send them texts that he wouldn't make it but to not let that stop them from enjoying the evening. From that night, Regina sniffed out most of his schemes before they got to Emma but this one was sprung on her.

She sighed, "Henry, please, Emma and I are great friends. We've worked so hard to reach this place and I don't need my little crush to ruin everything."

"Mom," He gave her a knowing look before whispering, "It's not just a little crush and we both know it."

Before Regina could respond, Emma strolled back into the room with a large smile, "Snow said yes and we're not taking no for an answer."

And that was how she ended up at the Charming's new home near Mifflin, eating mediocre meatloaf while drinking lemonade that was too sour with Snow smiling at her goofily and Emma's hand lingering on her knee. They had become quite touchy-feely over the years and would often hold hands, hug, or even snuggle while watching TV. Everyone was so used to it by now, believing it was the actions of best friends.

"So, Regina, how do you like my new meatloaf recipe?" Snow looked so hopeful that Regina just couldn't let her know that the dish lacked salt, pepper, or any other discernable flavor.

"It's good, dear." She heard a snort from the blonde next to her and contained chuckle from her son.

"Ma, it ain't good. You have to work on the seasoning." Regina smacked Emma's arm, giving her a hearty glare, which made Henry laugh even harder.

Snow waved her hands in the air, chewing the remaining pieces of meat in her mouth and swallowing before explaining, "No, no. It's alright. I've been trying new things and I need to know what's good and what's—"

"Fucking awful."

"Emma!" Regina shrieked but the corner of her lips were tilted upward, giving away her amusement. Snow rolled her eyes as she snatched away everyone's plates, glaring at everyone except Neal, who had scarfed down every bit of the food on his plate before pulling out his PSP, ignoring his family completely. They all knew that Snow had a weak spot for her son and she let him slide on a lot of things. Emma found that the spotlight being off of her was beneficial so she never complained.

After Snow cleaned and dried the dishes with help from the older brunette, the family sat down around the television and watched a Family Feud marathon, giggling at some of the ridiculous answers. If anyone was bothered by Regina burrowed into Emma's side and the blonde nuzzling her nose into the brunette's hair, no one said anything. Although Henry had mentioned that Snow _knew_ and that she had been involved in a few of his plots. To that Regina snorted, not believing that Snow White would ever be okay with the former Evil Queen dating her daughter.

When the marathon ended and segued into infomercials, the family argued over sleeping arrangements. Neal, Snow and Charming, Emma, and Henry had their own rooms. The question was who would Regina share with and the brunette tried to talk her way into sleeping in her son's room with him but the little deviant claimed that he kicked during the night. And of course, Emma backed up his claim, which earner her a suspicious smile from their son. It was like the two had a secret agenda, which just made her uneasy. She wondered about the validity of Henry's claims. Did Emma return her feelings? If so, why hadn't she said anything?

Anyway, it didn't matter. She meant what she had told Henry before. She was not willing to risk this beautiful friendship for a relationship that had a high probability of conking out after a few months because, even as friends, the two mothers fought like cats and dogs. Just that now, the fights always had a sensual quality about them and the arguments were so futile, like they weren't actually mad but just wanted to be up close, noses inches from one another's, feeling each other's heat.

Snow snapped her out of her thoughts, "Regina can stay with Emma! Sound good?"

Regina opened her mouth to respond negatively, that no, everything was not okay, but Snow completely sidelined her by clapping her hands and shuffling the young boys to their rooms. Charming just shrugged as he kissed their cheeks before strolling in the direction his wife had scrambled off to. Regina casually peered at Emma and caught the blonde staring at her.

"What?" Emma just smirked as she lifted Regina's overnight back over her shoulder and placed a calloused hand on Regina's lower back, leading her towards her bedroom. They entered the disheveled bedroom, with clothes hanging off lamps and shoes and wrappers strewn all over the floor, and Regina chuckled as she caught Emma's blushing face in the mirror that hung on the back of the bathroom door.

"Embarrassed, dear? No need. I've seen this room looking worse. Or do you not remember New Year's Eve?" Regina just laughed teasingly when Emma have her a playful shove.

"I was drunk and you could barely walk a straight line… or keep your clothes on." Emma felt the smack immediately and lunged at the brunette, wrapping the smaller woman in a tight embrace in order to fight off the impending Evil Queen tirade.

Regina melted into the hug, nuzzling her face into Emma's neck, "I was not disrobing, it was just warm in here that night and I was wearing too many layers."

"Whatever helps you sleep at night, Gina." Emma pulled back and handed the brunette her duffel bag. Regina sauntered to the private bathroom, feeling Emma's eyes on her ass the whole way. She leaned into the doorframe as she craned her neck to gaze at the blonde, who was still watching her intently.

The adoration in Emma's eyes made her knees weak so she just whispered, "I sleep like a baby."

Emma smiled softly and the brunette felt her heart squeeze with affection for the Sheriff. She bit her lip before entering the bathroom to change, shutting the door definitively behind her. Regina leaned her back against the wood, releasing a shaky breath. They always flirted. It was their way of interacting but tonight felt different. And it made sense, as they had never slept together, not in any sense of the word. Yes, they were more tactile and they always incorporated sensual undertones in their communication but lying next to one another while wearing skimpy clothes was out of their comfort zone. And what if something _did_ happen? Should she pull away or give in to her desires?

Regina shook from her thoughts. It was too dangerous to venture down such a thought path so she zipped open her bag and grabbed the silk pajama set along with her toiletries. She changed quickly before washing her face thoroughly in the porcelain sink before rinsing her mouth and pulling her long hair into a ponytail. She stored her bag into one of the empty cabinet's under the sink.

She gazed into the mirror and sighed, "Just sleeping. Get in there and go to sleep, that's all."

When she entered the room, Emma's back was to her and her breathing was pretty even so Regina sighed quietly with relief. She tiptoed to the bed and lowered onto the mattress slowly, trying not to rustle the bed and wake the blonde. The bed dipped a bit with her weight but no reaction came from the other woman and she just turned on her side, facing away from Emma.

She was tittering on the edge of rest when she felt the bed shift and a pair of strong arms wrapped around her waist. Emma's hair tickled her cheek and ear and her scent surrounded the brunette. She exhaled calmly, allowing herself to enjoy the sensations.

Well, hell, she could feel the love for the blonde deepened as Emma placed a sweet kiss on the nape of her neck, "Emma?"

"Did you know that I miss you the second your presence is gone? Or that just the sight of you makes me feel invincible, like maybe I could have it all?" Regina felt her eyes burn as she reached down to caress the back of Emma's hand.

"I did not know you felt that way." She whispered back, shivering slightly when she felt Emma's lips trail lightly from her ear to her pulse point.

"I do. I have for a long time," The blonde pressed a hand against Regina's shoulder, making the brunette face her. The older woman couldn't stifle the gasp that crawled up her throat when she saw the softness in Emma's eyes, "I guess I just want to know if I alone here."

This was it, her chance at a true happily ever after, the one she wanted all along. Regina smiled brightly and reached up to cup Emma's jaw, "Not alone."

Emma grinned, "So, Regina, wanna go out with me?"

The brunette chuckled, "I can be convinced."

"Yeah?" Emma teased, leaning forward as Regina nodded before catching those full lips in a kiss that was long overdue. Both women sagged with relief as their lips caressed one another's. Relief of knowing that the woman that you loved felt the same way and that a kiss that had been imagined hundreds of times was finally occurring, not in the mind but in reality. They pulled back when air become a necessity.

"Well, I'm thoroughly convinced," Regina smirked, "But you better not take me to Granny's or, god forbid, try to cook."

Emma gave Regina's ass a little tap, "So bossy."

"Get used to it, dear," Regina pecked Emma's lips once more before turning back onto her side, pulling the blonde's arms around her, "Now be a good big spoon so I can get my beauty rest."

"You don't need beauty rest, Gina. You're fucking gorgeous." They snuggled into the embrace.

"Flattery will get you everywhere, Miss Swan." She heard Emma groaned at the nickname.

"I love it when you call me that."

"Noted, dear."

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 **A/N:** Day one is done. I will be posting all prompts here so follow this if you'd like to read all of my SQW 2015 material. Some will be rated M. I will let you know in the author's notes. Each will be a stand alone one shot but they'll all be set years in the future. Thanks for reading!


	2. Day Two: Jealousy

**A/N:** Day two's prompt is jealousy! This one will be RATED M but the smut is at the end. Enjoy!

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Emma Swan needed coffee and information. And she needed them now. It was her turn for the night shift and she barely slept a wink during the day because Snow managed to make every plate in the kitchen clank as she made dinner. Then when she called Regina to ask if she could take their son for the night as Snow and Charming were going to some opera showing out of town, she said she couldn't take Henry because she had important plans for the night, which befuddled the blonde. Since when did Regina turn down a chance at time with Henry? But before she could inquire further, the brunette rushed her off the phone and didn't answer her texts.

She had known Regina for so long, becoming best friends after the whole Dark One fiasco, and the older woman never left her hanging. Whatever was going on that night must be important so Emma had to find out. And instead of napping so that she wouldn't fall asleep in the cruiser again, she trekked to the diner and asked Ruby, who had become Regina's confidant after they came to an understanding years before, and the wolf just alluded to a date, which made Emma's blood boil.

"With who?" Emma barked sarcastically, "Regina hates everyone in this town!"

Ruby quirked a brow, her eyes twinkling, and the blonde's jaw dropped, "You?"

The waitress shrugged as she straightened her high-waisted shorts, "Yeah, we've always had this flirty thing going on and I asked her out. She said yes so we're going out tonight."

Emma bent over the counter and grabbed the diner's phone, picking it up and shoving it in Ruby's face, "Call her and cancel!"

The wolf snickered before flicking the phone and Emma's hand away, "No. And why do you care anyway, Em?"

"I don't!" The blonde chuckled, lacking any genuine feeling. The truth was that Regina almost never dated but when she did, Emma became extremely insufferable. The Sheriff did anything in her power to sabotage the romance. After the brunette's ugly breakup with Robin, Emma worked hard to make the man feel uncomfortable in town. She practically forced him to scram, which he did after only a few weeks, taking Zelena and their daughter Coraline. And when Regina came out of the closet, the smile on Emma's face could not be dimmed, that is until the older woman was set to go out with Tinkerbell.

The Savior actually arrested the blonde fairy for public indecency for wearing a bikini on the beach and claimed it was enough to hold her. She then complained to Regina that the younger blonde was menace that did not deserve her affections.

"I know Tink and she wouldn't do what you're suggesting. Tell me, Sheriff, why the sudden interest in my love life? Because you never did any of this when I was with Robin, and he was a poor excuse for a man."

But instead of coming clean and going for it, Emma just shrugged and giggled, "I don't trust those shady as hell fairies, that's all."

So Regina went out that night, and for consecutive nights, with the bubbly fairy, actually becoming a steady couple for a few months until Regina broke it off. Tink said that their relationship had been nearly perfect and was taken aback by the ending of their union. But Ruby knew the truth. Regina always drooled over Emma Swan. None of her dates measured up. They weren't edgy enough, or funny, or blonde. The real problem was that they weren't Emma. But Tink was a lot like Emma in many ways so it was easy to pretend but even that charade had to end. Regina confided that dragging the fairy along wouldn't be the right thing to do.

So, when the older sorceress asked Ruby out for a girl's night at The Rabbit Hole, the waitress was excited because it was her chance to butt in and push her friends together. After all, jealously was the best motivator. When Emma strolled into the diner suspiciously, with that determined glint in her eyes, Ruby just smirked internally and prepared for battle.

"Good. Butt out of our plans, okay? I'm not putting up with your shit like past conquests of Regina have." The blonde glared at her and Ruby noticed the scowl on those thin pink lips. She smiled internally. _Too easy._

"Ruby, you're not bi. You're going to hurt her." Emma was deadly serious, that was obvious in the blonde's body language and hard tone. The waitress snorted and sent the woman a scolding glare as the front door chimed. Regina strolled into the diner casually while scrolling through her phone. She didn't notice the terse atmosphere or the presence of the blonde she cared deeply for.

"Pup, does your phone restart a hundred times a day like mine does?" The sorceress finally lifted her gaze and was met by and amused smile and a tense, uncomfortable frown, "Everything alright?"

Ruby quickly rounded the counter and pecked Regina's cheek, "Everything's great! And yeah, the iPhone is being temperamental. We're still on for tonight, right?"

Emma cleared her throat at that and abruptly stood, "Gina, can I talk to you for a sec?"

The brunette quirked a brow, giving Ruby a questioning glance since the younger woman looked smug, too smug for the sorceresses liking, as she drawled slowly, "What's going on?"

Emma just cleared her throat and tilted her head towards the back of the diner, dismissive of the older brunette's worry. Ruby's eyes darted between the two women, her smile being held back between her pressed lips. The uncomfortable silence stretched for a few moments while Regina contemplated what to do. She had plans and needed to get ready, not that Ruby cared but Regina enjoyed compliments and praise so she was always done up.

"Can it wait until tomorrow, Emma? I should've been home getting ready twenty minutes ago."

The blonde scrunched her nose distastefully and Regina narrowed her eyes, darting them once again between the two women. But before Regina could comment, Emma reached forward and grasped her dainty hand, pulling her to the back of the diner and into one of the private rooms.

"Emma—" Before she could finish scolding the blonde, she felt supple lips crash onto hers, halting all forms of brain function. Emma nipped on the brunette's red lips before plunging her tongue into Regina's eager mouth, a moan slipping out and reverberating against their connection pleasurably. The brunette breathed heavily from her nose as a content sigh bubbled up from her lungs and her arms wrapped tightly around the blonde's thin waist. Emma pulled back slowly, dragging Regina's bottom lip with her and giving it a gentle bite before letting go.

The silence between them stretched for several moments as they stared at each other in shock. Regina's hands that were now resting on Emma's hips squeezed absentmindedly but it was enough to break the stupor. It was like they gravitated back together, violently meeting in the middle in a clash of lips, teeth, and tongue. They battled for dominance as Emma crouched slightly to cradle Regina's voluptuous ass and lift her into the air. The brunette immediately wrapped them around the other's woman's mid section, her skirt bunching at her hips and allowing Emma to feel the molten heat emanating from Regina's core.

"Emma," She whined desperately, hating that she was practically begging for release. It had been years since she was intimate with someone and the last person was Robin, in that damn vault. That night made her feel dirty and used, especially when she thought back on it. As they say, hindsight is twenty-twenty. No, she wanted Emma to make love to her and want her just as much as Regina wanted Emma, "Please."

The blonde let out a weak growl before sealing their lips once more. Regina felt Emma's magic radiate through her body and when they parted, they were in the mansion, on the brunette's large, plush bed. Then she felt a cool breeze flow over her skin and noticed that they were practically undressed, left only in their bras and panties. She jumped when she felt fingers rubbing her clit over lace and couldn't contain her deep moan.

"Regina," Emma's hand traveled from the pulsing clit to cradle the brunette's cheek. As she nuzzled her nose against Regina's she whispered, "You can't go out with her."

"Huh?" Regina had never been so ineloquent in her entire life but Emma's abdomen kept pushing down, creating delicious friction at the apex of her thighs. Emma chuckled breathily, punctuating each thrust of her hips with a small peck to Regina's smudged lips.

"Ruby. Don't go out with her later." Emma finished with a swift lick to Regina's jaw line. The brunette tensed under her and Emma quickly lifted her upper body to get a better look at Regina's startled expression.

"Ruby? I'm not—" Regina snorted suddenly, making Emma smile immediately, "She played us."

"What do you mean?" She sat back on her heels, giving the other mother of her child all of her attention. Regina smiled as she dragged her calf up Emma's side sensually, leaving behind goose bumps.

"That sneaky wolf has been pushing me to tell you how I felt but I've been too scared. She probably set this whole thing up." Regina chuckled and Emma felt realization slide over her. The waitress had played her like a violin.

"Tonight wasn't a date, was it?" Emma dropped her head onto Regina's chest, her nose rubbing against the supple left breast. She felt the brunette shake, presumably from silent laughter.

"That's what she told you?" There's was an abundance of amusement in the sorceresses raspy voice, "No, we started having girl's nights whenever Henry went with you to the apartment. I would've cancelled on her tonight in order to be with Henry but Ruby's been having a tough time since Granny got sick. I can't believe that little sneak."

Emma shook her head as her fingers caressed the brunette's jaw lovingly, "Remind me to thank her later."

No other words were exchanged as their bodies pressed together once more, their nipples caressing with each lazy thrust. They kissed gently for a while until Emma deepened it, adding more pressure with her tongue as her fingers languidly traversed the brunette's chest, occasionally pinching the pink, stiff nubs. Her ministrations caused Regina to groan and arch her back slightly, connecting their clits each time.

Minutes passed and they kept their slow pace, drawing out the pleasure, because they weren't fucking. They were making love. It was felt in their breathy moans, lingering fingers, and soft yet passionate kisses. Their skin crackled with sparks and anticipation as Emma descended down the Regina's curvaceous body, nipping the smooth, olive skin tenderly as she went.

"Dear, if you continue this way, you'll be late for your shift," Regina lifted her lower body, urging Emma's mouth to where she wanted it, "Do hurry up."

The blonde felt a dainty hand thread through her blonde locks and gently incline her downward. Emma wrapped her thumbs into the lace panties and slowly dragged the soaked pair down long legs. Regina felt cool air on her shaven, heated core and couldn't hold back a whimper as Emma slid the straps of her bra off each shoulder slowly. She unclipped the back and watched the material slacken before completely revealing Regina to her lustful eyes.

Emma slithered up to connect their gazes, their lips grazing, and leaned her forehead against Regina's, making the brunette sigh contentedly. This moment had been cultivating over several years. When Robin left her for Zelena, Emma was there, ignoring the pirate's whines just to comfort her. They sat on Regina's bed and scarfed down ice cream and chocolate while watching comedies. When Emma left Hook, no one was surprised and Emma seemed more relieved than anything but it opened up a lot of Emma's free time and they began seeing each other often. Each interaction was laced with tension, the kind that makes your heart squeeze because of what could be, what they could be. Henry always tried pushing his mothers together but they were too scared to 'make the move', as he would say.

And Regina certainly felt 'the move' throughout her whole body. Emma's fingers were knuckle deep in her pussy, taking the brunette by surprise. Luckily she was already extremely wet so the intrusion was nothing but pleasurable and Regina felt sob crawling up her throat but held back as Emma's tongue descended on her throbbing clit.

"Fuck! Emma," It was whispered, as the blonde's ministrations had completely unraveled her. Emma worked hard, licking every inch of her lover's core with fervor and working the brunette until she reached her peak with a scream. Emma continued giving the throbbing pussy small, gentle licks until Regina tugged at the blonde strands.

Emma drifted upward, dragging her teeth and nipping, leaving love bites behind, "Regina…"

The older woman purred, "Yes, dear."

Emma looked at her so closely it made Regina shiver under the scrutiny, "I… I've felt this way for a long time."

"How do you feel?" Regina asked quietly, needing to hear Emma say it. The blonde leaned forward, kissing Regina's swollen lips.

"I love you." Regina felt a warm relief flood her body. She had seen the signs and their interactions had been filled with more than just friendship. When the brunette looked up, she noticed Emma's expectant yet nervous gaze.

Regina smiled shyly, "I love you too, Emma."

The blonde laughed loudly, "God, that wolf is getting a huge gift basket tomorrow."

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 **A/N:** Next up, time travel!


	3. Day Three: Time Travel

**A/N:** Time traveling ahead! Now, there are some warnings for this one. There's cursing, mentions of sexual and physical abuse. If this may trigger, skip!

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"And please, for the love of all that is holy, do not play with that spell book! It has extremely powerful abilities, especially after Zelena's magic was added to it. I'm trusting you with it while I'm gone, Swan."

"Yeah, yeah, I got it Gina. No screwing around with the book. As if I would spend my weekend reading through dusty old books when the Sox's are playing anyway." The brunette slipped into her black coat and tied the belt loosely before quirking a brow at her blonde friend. Emma just shrugged and rolled her eyes playfully. Regina promised Snow and Charming during a moment of weakness (about four glasses of wine) that she would join them and Henry on a trip to Boston to see some opera show. And because the vault had been broken into and the investigation was pending, all magical items were at the station with the klutzy blonde.

"Please, Emma, be careful with all of that dark magic. I know that you've learned to control your impulses but that's a lot of temptation." With that warning delivered, Regina leaned in and gave Emma's cheek a sweet kiss. The blonde savored the affection, leaning in further and squeezing the older woman's curvaceous hips.

"Alright, see you soon," Regina leaned in again and gave another kiss, this time to the corner of Emma's smiling mouth, "Don't get into too much trouble while we're gone."

Emma swung open the station front door, "That's a promise I can't make."

Regina just smirked knowingly before jogging into the rainy night toward Charming and Snow's van. The blonde watched the vehicle pass with a frown, waving at her mother and son, who were giving her thumbs up from behind the car windows. She was happy, ecstatic even, that her mother and… friend were getting along so well but she wanted Regina for herself. If the weekend had gone according to plan, Regina would've stayed and Henry would've been out of town and the two would have alone time. She wanted to just blurt out her feelings but was absolutely terrified at the same time. So she figured that having a nice dinner together, with some wine and chocolate, would give her courage to just do it, to kiss the brunette like they've both wanted for years. Because, yes, they knew about each other's feelings through a nosy third party but they were scared of changing things, especially after years of this routine, a comfortable one at that. But Robin was trying to weasel his way back into Regina's life after Zelena's tragic death a few months prior.

And there was no way in hell she was letting the pinecone steal her happy ending, not because she was too scared to make a move. No, she would tell the woman when she returned from her trip. With a sigh, Emma slammed the front door of the station and locked it just in case. There had been a string of robberies at the magical locations in town and there was no way someone was going to break into the station and steal Regina's stuff, not when it was her job to protect it.

She rounded her desk and peered at the duffel bag full of dark magic just lying at her feet and shivered. She may have learned to control her Dark One tendencies but the temptation was real and it was like shaking off an addiction. Being the Dark One made her understand Regina so much better, understand the struggle she went through after the curse broke. Dark magic was intoxicating, the power was immeasurable, and, yes, even the fear was somewhat satisfying to witness.

Her fingers twitched with curiosity, itching to rip that bag open and figure out what was inside. Zelena had been reformed but her dark magic was unrivaled. Even Emma was amazed by the envious woman's talent so her spell book was chock full of spells and information that would tempt any magic user.

"Ah hell, just a peek," Emma murmured as she hauled the bag onto her desk and ripped open the zipper. She pulled out the Wicked Witch's thick green book and brought it to her nose, taking a whiff of the dark magic wafting off the pages, "Mmm."

She placed her finger in the middle of the book, ready to open it, when she heard the front door open. She knew that the intruder had magic, as the door had been locked, so she stuffed Zelena's possessions back into the bag, not bothering to zip it close. She huffed when Rumple entered view, his limp prominent and his head held down. Ever since losing the burden of the Dark One's curse, he was a quiet, shy man with dreams of opening an arts and crafts store with Belle so that he could sell his homespun thread.

"Mr. Gold, hello. What can I do for you?" The man nodded his head in greeting but did not meet her eyes.

"Hello, dearie. Belle informed me that I could come get my stolen property back?" His voice was weak, constantly fading off quietly, and his hands were trembling on the cane, as if any social interaction scared him, which it probably did. He was such an introvert now, constantly apologizing to those he wronged and walking with his gaze on the concrete sidewalk to avoid eye contact.

"Yes, sir!" Emma added some enthusiasm in an attempt to make the man more comfortable. She swiveled to grab the plastic evidence bag and handed it to him. He glanced at her desk and his eyes widened a bit.

"I wouldn't play with fire, Ms. Swan." He gave the duffel bag another look before turning and limping out of the station, making sure to lock the door on the way. The blonde narrowed her eyes and snorted derisively.

"I'll do whatever I want," She grumbled as she plopped down in her desk chair and dropped the bag into her lap, "I'm the damn Dark One. I can do whatever the fuck I please, thank you very much."

She took the heavy book and placed it on its spine on top of the bag on her lap. She closed her eyes and skimmed her finger over the pages, randomly picking a page. But before she could see what she opened to, the station phone rang shrilled loudly. She groaned but leaned forward to answer anyway.

"Sheriff's station." She greeted, cradling the phone between her ear and shoulder. She listened intently as Ruby informed her that she lost the scent of their latest suspect. Emma rolled her eyes before telling Ruby to go home for the night and that they would reconvene in the morning.

As Ruby said her goodbyes, Emma felt a tickle behind her eyes as they watered. The sneeze was loud and unexpected, not giving the blonde a chance to cover her mouth. The force of the action blew onto the page and Emma gasped when she saw wisps of black fly from the open spell book.

"Oh my—shit!" She vaguely heard Ruby calling out to her before she dropped the phone causing it to break on contact with the floor. She jumped from her seat, the duffel bag's strap hung on her arm as the book dropped onto the ground with a thump. The black wisps swirled violently as they grew in size. Emma tried to back away but the magic followed, practically swallowing her whole. It encased her completely, stinking her eyes harshly. She screwed her eyes closed and let out a scream. She felt air whooshing past her, causing goose bumps to appear, but she yelped when her knees buckle, like the ground no longer existed.

She dared to open her eyes and saw blue and white, "The fuck?"

Then she realized that the magic was holding her by her feet, holding her upside down, in the sky. She held her breath as she slowly tilted her head, trying to ascertain what the hell was happened. God, she wished she looked at the spell before answering the phone. She noticed that she was hugging the duffel bag to her chest, keeping it shut to avoid losing anything. How she had the frame of mind to do so as the magic took her would forever be a mystery. She unconsciously tightened her hold on the black bag, not wanting to lose anything and let Regina down.

She craned her neck, "Okay so tree's, a forest, and… is that a castle?"

The magic began dragging her through the air swiftly, making Emma cover her eyes with her arm. She heard vague whispers in her ear, which brought back ugly memories of a haunted foster home but she leaned closer to the sound, trying to make out the words.

"Understanding is the greatest gift of love so you must experience the plights they don't speak of," The deep, raspy voice murmured in her ear over and over until they reach the ground. It set her down gently and she stared up at the black, swirling wisps in awe. The magic floated closer, the scent of dark magic lingering around the blonde. The unseen force stated once more, loudly this time, "Understanding is the greatest gift of love so you must experience the plights they don't speak of."

"What does that mean?" Emma whispered into the still forest. She was terrified because the surroundings reminded her of her travels to the Enchanted Forest with Snow and she did not enjoy her time eating chimera and cleaning with leaves and stream water, "Where am I?"

The magic formed a funnel, swirling until it disappeared into the thin air, "Shit! Regina's going to kill me."

She shivered as a cold breeze hit her, grabbing the duffel bag angrily and throwing it onto the dirt floor. There was always something, a new baddie to overcome or some monster from the depths of hell ruining the town's property. And for some reason, she always found herself in the center of the drama. Though it was usually her fault.

"Regina's going to kill me, resurrect me, then kill me again." The blonde stood slowly, her aging joints cracking under her weight. As she stretched with her hand in the air, she felt the ground begin to vibrate, making the pebbles hop all around her. She swiveled in every way, trying to find the source but gasped when she say the familiar insignia. The insignia Snow had showed her proudly before hanging it up in the Charming's apartment. The White family crest was hung proudly from green and white carriages.

The strong steeds were racing forward in her direction and she contemplated what to do. She could stop them and possibly get help from her grandfather. But Leopold didn't know her and she would most likely end up in some dark dungeon, eating bread for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. But she definitely couldn't wander the forest, not without Snow or Aurora or Mulan. She had their guidance last time but now? She was flying solo and she hardly knew how to camp, let alone survive in a medieval society.

Mind made up, she stepped into the worn dirt path and yelled, "Hey! Stop!"

The guard pulled on the reins and the horse yelped as they attempted to stop. The wheels skidded along the dirt, kicking up dust and making Emma sputter. Three guards jumped down from the now stagnant carriages, pulling out spears and holding it out toward her but she did not even flinch. _I'm the fucking Dark One, you idiots._

The door of the front carriage slammed open and a grey-haired man stepped out in a long, gold overcoat. He held himself with grace and she could tell that this was the King, her grandfather. According to Snow, he was a kind, gentle leader and father but Emma wasn't so sure. One thing she discovered from the modern world was that men in power usually had an ego and pride, which was not to be tested if you wanted to survive. So she could only imagine a monarch, a man that was used to never being questioned, his word was law. She knew she had to tread carefully.

"Young wench, you've blocked my carriages." Leopold spoke gently but his tone was hard, almost as if to let Emma know that his current 'kindness' was not to be disregarded. She disliked him immediately. Leopold reminded her of every foster father she ever encountered. They believed she was below them, unworthy of the air they breathe.

Emma parted her pink lips to answer him but another familiar female voice interrupted, "My King?"

Emma felt a shiver, a heat automatically build in her belly, when she saw _her_. There, stepping down from one of the carriages was Regina Mills. She was younger, much younger, and she looked so different, so shy and soft-spoken. It unnerved her a bit. She wasn't the stubborn, dark woman with a wicked sense of humor and a snarky personality that she knew.

"Regina?" _Well, shit._ She didn't mean to say that out loud but it flew out and she watched as Leopold's eyes narrowed with jealously. It made sense. No one played with the King's toys. Then she peered at Regina, who stepped closer with wide eyes.

"Do I know—"

"Get back in the carriage!" Leopold roared and Emma clenched her fists when she saw Regina flinch back. _Oh hell no_. That was a classic sign of abuse, she knew from her time in the system. She saw it in her friends, in her siblings, and she felt her blood run cold at the thought that her grandfather hurt Regina. Emma was beginning to think that Snow didn't know what her father used to really be like. The Queen backed away like a wounded animal and scurried into her carriage as Leopold watched her with hard eyes.

"That's my Queen, young wench," He murmured condescendingly, quirking his brows, "I don't take well to people trying to steal my possessions."

Emma bit the inside of her cheek to keep from berating this old asshole. Regina wasn't a possession to be had. She was to be treasured and worshipped like the beauty she was, "I knew her mother, Cora, in my youth, your majesty."

Her grandfather watched her with inquisitive eyes, obviously thrown off by the use of Cora's name. He straightened his stance before turning slightly, "What is your business in these parts, dear? And what attire are you donning?"

The tone of his voice when he uttered the pet name reminded her so much of Regina during that first year, when they clashed over Henry. She now realized that the brunette must've picked up on Leopold's spiteful mannerisms as she grew into the Evil Queen. She took a bit of her own monster, the one that haunted her at night, and used his hateful tactics against others. The blonde had to hold back an eye roll. That would've gotten a huff from Regina but from Leopold? It could get her head on a spike.

He watched her carefully as she answered smoothly, "I was venturing to your kingdom, your majesty, in order to see if could bring my business with me when I relocate."

Leopold smiled falsely, his yellowing teeth making Emma nauseous. She just wanted to punch them right out. He stepped closer to her, "Well then, dear, allow me to offer you safe travel."

He outstretched his arm toward the carriages and added, "You may travel with your old friend, _my_ wife."

Emma quirked a brow, completely confused by his antics. In her world, when a woman claimed to know another woman, no one automatically thought that they were lovers. The default assumption was friends or acquaintances. Never in a million years would she think that the Enchanted Forest would be cool with lesbians, gays, or even being bi.

She startled when the guards lunged forward and gripped her arm painfully. She had to suppress the instinct to blow them halfway to Storybrooke as they hauled her to Regina's carriage. She counted that as a blessing though. She didn't want to imagine a long ride with the King, who was walking contentiously next to the guards.

"My Queen, your old friend will be joining us on the rest of our journey. Make room." Emma gritted her teeth at the order spilling from the old fart's lips. Did he not know how to be polite… or just nice in general _? What a husband_ , Emma thought bitterly. She was shoved into the vehicle unceremoniously, almost falling face first onto the wooden bench. She twisted quickly, plopping on the seat, not wanting to give the smirking guards any more amusement.

Her glare was cut off by that familiar voice once more, "Hello…"

Emma snapped her gaze across the small carriage and for the first time, she was able to take in the utter beauty and eloquence Regina held. The brunette was staring at her expectantly and she realized that she had yet to introduce herself. She extended her hand but Regina stared at it befuddled. She was about to retract her hand when she felt Regina's fingers graze the top of the hand. Emma took the first step in order to show the woman the proper way to handshake. She watched as Regina kept her eyes downcast, a blush overtaking her cheeks. _How adorable_.

"I'm Emma Swan," The blonde bobbed their connected hands in greeting. Regina lifted her eyes and smiled coyly at her, making Emma's heart squeeze with desire. She wanted to scoop the woman up and just run away from the carriage, from Leopold and Snow. She wanted to save Regina from experiencing the events and abuse that led to her becoming the Evil Queen.

"A pleasure, Ms. Swan." Emma couldn't stop the snort that erupted from hearing Regina call her that. The blonde looked to their clasped hands but quickly frowned when she spotted Regina's raised sleeve. The skin of the brunette's arm was littered with bruises of all different colors. Emma felt the blood drain from her body. This was much, much worse than she thought.

She was snapped from her thoughts when Regina ripped her hand from Emma's to quickly cover her arm with her white sleeve. The young Queen blushed with embarrassment and fear, and Emma decided that she never wanted to see that look on Regina's face ever again.

"The King is a gentle, kind man," The comment was presented so oddly, like Regina had practiced it in the mirror a million times, "He is a good father and leader."

Emma curled her fingers on the bench by her thighs before whispering, "Being a good King and father doesn't make him a good husband or man."

Regina looked at the blonde in awe and Emma realized that the young Queen probably never heard anyone speak against the King. She smiled compassionately as Regina sagged a bit, like she was glad that she didn't have to keep up the charade any longer, "No, I suppose not."

The carriage jolted a bit and Regina quickly looked away from the guest, opting to stare out of the circular window next to her. Emma wanted to continue learning more about this enigma of a woman. This young Queen was shy and afraid yet her Queen was anything but. She needed to… understand. Suddenly, Emma knew what the magic meant. This was the Animus spell that Zelena had worked on for years. It was supposed to help couples in town during marriage counseling. It would take the spouse into a troubling time in their lover's past, a plight that was unknown to them. It supposedly brought couples closer together.

The carriage jumped again but Regina didn't budge and Emma kept her gaze on the brunette. If she listened to Zelena and Archie correctly when they babbled excitedly about it, the spell would wear off once the user discovers their lover's deepest quandary, the one issue that haunts their dreams.

"Thank you for allowing me to ride with you." Emma speaks softly and can see Regina contemplating whether to engage with her passenger or not. The blonde see's the brunette peeking at her out of the corner of her eye.

"I didn't have a choice." Regina replies lowly, almost as if she was afraid to be over heard. Emma chuckled, nodding in agreement. She smiled when Regina finally looked at her, a small quirk tilting the corner of her lips.

"What's your favorite color?" _Blue._

"Blue! A light blue!" The brunette seemed so excited over such a simple question and Emma felt her heart break. Did Regina feel so unimportant and forgotten that she believed she didn't matter?

Emma forced a smile, "Mine's red."

"Well, red is beautiful as well!" God, Regina was so glad to have anyone's attention. It was killing the blonde just thinking of what could possibly go on behind closed castle doors.

"Do you have any hobbies?" _Riding and tending to the apple tree._

"I have a beautiful horse at the palace. I enjoy riding," Regina bit her lip in contemplation and Emma wanted to swipe her tongue across it, "And I have a tree at the palace, an apple tree. I take pride in my apples."

Emma noticed that Regina never called the palace her home. When she was younger, she never called her placements home either. She called it the 'foster house'. She found that it made it easier when the parents sent you back. Emma could tell that Regina felt unwanted in the White palace and therefore believed she would be thrown out as soon as the King became tired of her. It was a defense mechanism she could definitely relate to.

"The King lets you have your tree?" She proceeded cautiously, hoping that the brunette will feel some sort of kinship and share with her. It looked like the Queen was looking for someone to understand, or just to ask about her, to notice her. Regina nodded slowly.

"It's protected by the Dark One's magic. The King couldn't remove it even if he wanted." Emma scrunched her brows, completely dumbfounded over the fact that Rumplestiltskin did such a kind deed for a woman he was molding into a depressed and ruthless villain. Well, the man had always been such a mystery.

"I'm glad that you are allowed at least that," Regina smiled softly, the scar on her upper lip stretching pleasantly, "Is he always so… annoying?"

Regina giggled suddenly and Emma felt warm with giddiness. She was the source of the usually sad woman's joy. The brunette whispered conspiratorially, "He's always that way… He's not… kind to me."

Emma felt her muscles tense, "Regina… does he hurt you?"

Regina's eyes glistened a bit and Emma had to hold back from launching herself across the carriage and wrapping her arms around the tiny brunette. She hated seeing Regina cry. But this woman didn't really know her. The young Queen was so lonely and found a confidant on a woman Leopold picked up off the street just because she inquired about her interests. She wondered how many times this woman would be burned and betrayed by people she trusted. Snow had already planted that seed of distrust but the Regina she knew was practically Fort Knox. _What did he do to you?_

Emma reached out her hand and caressed Regina's hand kindly, trying to convey that she didn't pity the woman but that she just _cared_. The brunette had no idea just how much she cared for her.

"He's a brute," The young woman shook, as if startled by the words flowing from her mouth. But the admission gave her a sense of liberty. She wasn't alone in this struggle any longer. She released a shaky breath, "He's a brute. I'm his possession. He takes me in every way he pleases and never asks for permission. He disciplines when I say no or cry. I don't want this life, Ms. Swan. I want to be free."

Emma felt her own eyes sting as the words reverberated through her soul. Being a runaway foster kid, all she had wanted was to run her own life, to be free from the system and the money-hungry foster parents. And she realized that she had been right all those years ago, her connection with Regina was unique and special. No one would ever understand her like Regina did.

"Me too." Suddenly the environment froze around her. She blinked quickly and waved her hand in front of the young Queen's face. She then felt a harsh breeze at her feet and gasped when she saw the black wisps growing and expanding at her feet.

Emma laughed, screwing her eyes shut as the magic encased her once more, "I just want to be free."

The low murmuring began again, "Understanding is the greatest gift of love and you've now experienced the plights she doesn't speak of."

Emma nodded blindly, "I just want to be free!"

"Emma?" She heard Regina's amused voice question, her deep, raspy, and flirty voice. The blonde snapped her eyes open and realized she was back at the station, looking ridiculous with her arms spread out, yelling at the ceiling. She glanced at the chuckling brunette, "I forgot my purse and Charming turned around. Are you alright, dear?"

The blonde lowered her arms, never taking her eyes off of the blonde, "We just wanted to be free."

The brunette stepped forward, concerned for the blonde's wellbeing, "Emma, what are you talking about?"

"When I was young, all I wanted was to be free of the system, to be my own person, to make my own decisions, to live my own life. And that's exactly what you wanted too. You wanted to run away from Cora, from the King, from Snow. But everyone was making decisions for you, just like the government used to make mine. We just wanted to be free, Regina. We wanted to be free."

Regina's mouth dropped open in surprise, "Emma…"

The blonde didn't let her finish her sentence. She gently placed her lips over Regina's red stained ones, adding pressure after the brunette's quiet moan. They wrapped around one another, ignoring Charming's honks. Emma pulled back slightly to whisper against the other woman's lips, "We're free, Regina."

* * *

 **A/N:** Next is 'mistaken for a couple'! Thanks for reading!


	4. Day Four: Mistaken for a Couple

**A/N:** Mistaken for a couple! No warnings for this one. Going to be very short.

* * *

"This is where you live?" Regina swiveled frantically, taking in the small room with painted cinderblock walls and a rickety bed. Emma should've warned the brunette that college was almost like an alternate universe, where one lived off the minimal and had to pay to do so.

"Mom, all the rooms look like this. And I haven't had a chance to spruce it up yet." Henry tried tidying up by collecting several scattered magazines. Emma swore she saw a Playboy in the bunch but she was not touching that subject with a ten-foot pole. When Henry informed his mothers that he wanted to attend Boston University, Regina had a break down, exclaiming that she wasn't ready to lose her little prince. It took a lot of convincing from Henry, Emma, Snow, and even Charming, who weirdly enough had become close friends with Regina, to get the brunette to accept the decision. She conceded that she wanted Henry to be well educated and if he were to follow his dream of becoming a writer, he'd need the experience that school could garner him.

"Gina, all colleges are like. He's not at the Ritz Carlton." Emma added with a smirk. While she found Regina's confusion about higher education amusing, she also knew that the subject was a sore one. The brunette felt lonely without Henry's presence at Mifflin during the weekend and the sadness of knowing that her son wouldn't trudge through the front door on Friday nights was truly taking a toll on the older woman. So Emma tiptoed around the issue, trying to show Henry that she was proud that he was becoming independent but also toning it down to spare herself an argument with her friend when they returned to the hotel.

"Well, yes, Emma, but they couldn't paint the walls a soothing shade of blue or yellow? I feel like I'm incarcerated!" Emma bit her lip to hold in a laugh, noticing that their son was doing the same.

"The administration isn't going to pay for paint." Regina stood from the desk chair she had been perched on.

"For the amount of tuition I am throwing into their pockets, you'd think they'd make these rooms a bit homier." Henry plopped onto the mattress before bending down to tie his sneakers.

"As fun as this is, Moms," He drawled sarcastically and Emma felt Regina's heated gaze on her, blaming her for his attitude, "I have class in half an hour so…"

He gestured toward the door and Regina huffed, "Fine but you're having dinner with Emma and I tomorrow."

"Okay, okay." He grumbled as he lifted his heavy backpack onto his shoulders. The two women took their cue, leaning in to kiss his cheek, earning them groans of disapproval, before exiting the room and making their way to Regina's Mercedes. Her bug had crapped out in Storybrooke the week before the visit and Tillman had to order new parts. Regina was overly smug about the whole thing but Emma had to admit that the brunette's car was high tech and sexy as hell.

It was September and the heat was lingering so Emma blasted the air conditioning the moment she sat down in the car, earning her a snicker from her friend, "Has there ever been a time where you found yourself feeling cold?"

Emma pretended to think, "Well there was that time I almost froze to death in Elsa's ice fortress."

Regina lowered the air a bit in an attempt at compromise and Emma just shrugged. The brunette clicked her seatbelt, "It's almost time for lunch. Are you hungry?"

"Yes!" Regina chuckled.

"Why did I even ask?" Emma smiled at her and it was like time froze. For a few seconds, neither moved, spoke, or even breathed. Regina finally cleared her throat and broke the spell, "You lived here. Any recommendations?"

"For what?"

"Food, Emma."

* * *

They ordered relatively fast and ate as they bickered playfully about Henry's dorm room and new attitude. They laughed softly, finding comfort in each other's presence. Emma noticed that the waitress kept looking over at them, smirking slightly, and the blonde bristled, believing that the tramp was trying to catch Regina's attention. As usual, Regina was completely blind to the staring, jus shoveling her chocolate cake into her mouth silently.

The brunette accidently smeared some icing on the corner of her lip and Emma immediately leaned over to wipe it off with her thumb. She sucked on her thumb and moaned at the sweet concoction. Regina blushed slightly.

"Thank you." The brunette was about to return to her dessert but they were both startled by a giggle. They peered at the red headed waitress, whose eyes darted between them.

"Got a problem?" Emma asked, her voice hard. The young woman jumped and shook her head, almost dropping her empty tray.

"No! It's just you guys are cute," Emma froze but the red head continued, "I wish I had someone to love me as much as you two love each other."

Emma heard Regina choke on her cake, sputtering desperately, but the blonde just stared back at the waitress with her mouth hanging open. She shook her head, "No… we… we're not together."

"Oh," The woman chuckled slightly, "Well, you should be."

Before either woman could stop her, the waitress sauntered away, leaving behind two bewildered friends. When Emma looked toward her companion, Regina was drinking from her glass hurriedly, her eyes a bit watery from her choking fit.

"Uh, so according to the workers, we're meant to be."

"Oh, shut up, Emma."

"What if I think she's right? What if I think we would be good together?" Regina searched the blonde's eyes for any sign of deceit but found sincere emerald.

"I'd say you weren't as aloof as I originally thought, dear." Emma beamed as Regina's cheek reddened. The brunette peered at the blonde from under her lashes as she chewed on another piece of cake.


	5. Day Five: Best Friend Romance

**A/N:** Okay, I've been inspired by Comic Con and Lana's hints for season 5 so I'm going to continue with the prompts. Day 5 is best friend romance. Rated T. Fluffy.

* * *

"So I'm hanging off this tree branch trying to snatch that damn cat and Leroy, whose drunk as a skunk, is clawing at my ankles. Suddenly, Miss Ginger sprints from her front porch and whacks Leroy over the head with her bedazzled cane!" Emma laughs loudly as she pretends to hit Regina with the diner's ketchup bottle The brunette chuckles under her breath as Henry bellows loudly, loving his Ma's theatrics, "He falls like a sack of potatoes and the cat hops down into Ginger's arms. I should win some type of award for this shit."

"I'll work on that, Sheriff." Regina joked, smiling brightly at her now best friend. When Emma first arrived in Storybrooke, she was a massive threat to the life she had built. But as time passed, the two reached an understanding that they could relate to each other like no one else could. After Emma's sacrifice and her struggles with accepting her role as the Dark One, Regina allowed the blonde behind her walls and they reached a kinship that was unparalleled. Many said they were inseparable, which was slightly true. They had breakfast, lunch, and dinner together, they dropped in on each other during breaks, and Emma relaxed at the mansion until very late, only leaving when Snow called asking for her whereabouts.

But the citizens noticed much, much more. Emma always looked at the brunette with adoration and everyone was sure she would cut off a limb if it meant putting a permanent smile on Regina's face. The older woman acted like a spouse, constantly caring for Emma when she was sick, cooking for her, and supporting her in almost all endeavors. They were so affectionate, hugging, hand holding, and placing small pecks ridiculously close to the other's lips. Oh yeah, the people knew that Regina and Emma loved each other… a lot. So they came up with a scheme that involved many of the constituents and, of course, Henry and the Charming's. They called it Operation Swan Queen. Its sole goal was to push the two women together in any way possible. They got close several times but it literally frustrated everyone when the two ignored the signs and tried dating other people.

Emma had an on and off relationship with Hook for years before cutting him off completely. Regina almost married Robin but realized, at the alter, that the man didn't feel right to her and ran out of the church, only to be followed by none other than Emma. Everyone thought for sure that that would be the night Operation Swan Queen would be complete. But alas, Emma and Regina sat up all night eating ice cream and watching comedies, never acting on the intense chemistry and love between them, to the dismay of many.

"You better," Emma winked before jabbing her thumb toward her chest, "This law enforcer is going above and beyond for the Mayor."

Regina just smiled brightly. Ruby sighed from behind the counter, shaking her head at the display, the blindness. She knew that Regina and Emma realizing they're in love was inevitable and she felt like being subtle, as they had been, wasn't working. She had half a mind to just march over to the booth and smash their lips together. The waitress rolled her eyes as she watched Regina lean forward and wipe excess ketchup from Emma's cheek before waltzing to the booth.

"Refills!" She placed the filled cups on the table before quirking a brow at Henry, who had been mesmerized by his mother's blatant domestic actions. He wasn't a child anymore. He saw the attraction and he was baffled by their inability to see what was right in front of them. This wasn't about him. He had the family he always wanted with his grandparents and his mothers. He wanted his Mom and Ma to be together because they exuded a level of happiness when with one another that was never present with Hook, Robin, or any mediocre man they went on a date with.

"Thanks, Rubes." With a nod and knowing look aimed at the teen, the wolf sauntered away without looking back.

* * *

"What did those tomatoes do to you, Snow?" The pixie haired woman was hacking at the cutting board, practically emulsifying the vegetables. Charming eye's widened as his wife tossed the knife onto the counter carelessly. He pushed the sharp item away from the edge, in case Neal decided to leave his room and sneak into the kitchen.

"I'm so frustrated with this situation!" Snow whispered hurriedly, snatching a hand towel and wiping off excess juice from the well-beaten tomato, "Can you believe I was walking home and they were arm in arm, smiling at each other like no one else mattered or existed! This gentle approach is killing me, Charming. I just want to scream sometimes. How are they so blind?"

David just watched as his wife paced from one end of the counter to the other, practically burning a path onto the hardwood. He slipped past the counter and grabbed her shoulders, "You're starting to act a little obsessive and that worries me—"

"I am not—"

"We can't push them into something they aren't aware of," Snow glared harshly and he sighed, "Snow, they know how they feel but they don't know if it's reciprocated. That's scary, the possibility of rejection is scary."

"Maybe they just need some intervention from a caring third party," Snow shrugged excitedly, as if she wouldn't be meddling, "Not a push, just a little love tap in the right direction."

Charming shook his head, releasing his wife's shoulders, knowing he was going to lose this argument. Snow would end up doing whatever she wanted anyway but he added, "If someone told me forty years ago that we'd be on a mission to get our daughter to date Regina Mills, I would've cut off their tongue for the mere suggestion."

Snow waved her hands dismissively, "She's changed. Anyway, you see how happy Emma is when Regina's around."

"Of course I do and I want them to open their eyes and go for it but I'm not sure if our meddling, _your_ meddling, will be appreciated." Snow picked up the discarded knife after tossing the debased vegetable away and grabbing a fresh one from the netted bag.

"They won't care. They'll be too busy reveling in their love," Snow suddenly waved the knife excitedly, making Charming step back quickly to avoid blood shed, "And then Emma can finally move out of here and they'll get married and maybe adopt more babies and—"

"Reel in the crazy, honey."

* * *

Snow placed a piece of chocolate covered cheesecake in front of Emma, beaming at her. Emma narrowed her eyes at the dessert before peering at her mother suspiciously, "What do you want, Mom?"

Snow still felt a warmth pass through her at the term passing through Emma's lips. Her daughter was not an emotional person, unless with Regina, so Snow took every once of affection and savored.

"Nothing!" The brunette presented a spoon, jiggling it enticingly in front of Emma's light eyes. The blonde's lips thinned and she hesitation for a moment before her stomach growled. Emma took the bait, seizing the spoon from her mother's hand. Emma plunged the utensil into the treat and brought the piece to her lips, moaning at the sweet chocolate melding with the creamy cheesecake. Snow smiled, her fingers tapping on the tabletop as she watched the blonde eat. Emma felt the eyes on her but ignore her, taking another bite from the small dessert.

"So sweetheart—"

"I knew it!" The blonde dropped the spoon onto the plate exasperatedly.

"It's n-nothing!" Snow stuttered, Emma's glare practically piercing her soul, "It's just… I may have set you up on a date…"

She had already bamboozled Regina into this con but she needed Emma to agree as well for her plan to move forward. If the blonde didn't agree… well maybe Snow could use jealously to push them together. Emma came close to confessing her love right before Regina's wedding but backed out, believing that Regina truly loved Robin and that springing such news would ruin everything.

"Mom, no! The last time you set me up, I got ass-grabbed by Whale!" Emma gripped the small dessert plate, picking up the spoon, and started munching as she walked to the couch.

Snow followed worriedly, "Emma, please! I promise that this will be the last one! I'll set everything up and all you'll have to worry about is making it to the restaurant!"

Emma groaned, glancing at Snow, who was smiling shyly. The blonde lowered her head, "Fine… but I'm done after this!"

Snow stood, feeling giddy, and strolled into the kitchen, "There won't be a next time."

* * *

"Damn you, Snow," Regina grumbled as she checked her hair for the hundredth time since being seated at the Italian restaurant. Her date was late, not extremely late, but late nonetheless. The brunette sniffed. She hated tardiness, except when Emma did it because the blonde's disheveled arrivals put a smile on her face. Although it seemed that everything Emma did put a smile on her face.

"What am I doing here?" She whispered to herself. A date with some mystery man wasn't what she wanted. She wanted Emma. Not that she would ever confess such thoughts aloud to the blonde. She knew that she would never love someone like she did Emma, but for years she tried anyway, each date a miserable failure because it always went back to Emma.

Regina sighed irritably, lifting her wrist to check the time once more, "Who the hell leaves a queen waiting?"

"Apparently I do…" Regina turned quickly and gasped when she saw Emma standing next to the hostess, wearing a beautiful dress that complimented her so well. The blonde felt her lips twitch, a smile wanting to overtake her entire face. Well, it seems her mother was right. And hopefully, that night would be the last first date she had.

"Emma? What're you doing here?" Regina felt a surge of jealously at the passing thought that the blonde was there for a date with some sleazy man, but that would be the pot calling the kettle black.

The hostess smiled conspiratorially, "She's your date."

Regina blinked rapidly as the shock of the short statement washed over her, "Snow… set me up with her daughter?"

Emma smiled, walking toward the table where Regina was sat primly. Before Emma could answer, the hostess chuckled, "Snow's been the worst of us all. We've been trying to push you two together for _a long time._ "

Emma plopped into the seat, never tearing her gaze from Regina's, "What do you mean we?"

The red haired woman placed menus in front of them, "The whole town has been united through Operation Swan Queen, trying to get you two together. But Snow and Henry have been the true masterminds."

Emma snorted, receiving a chuckle from Regina. The two were astounded yet grateful for the sneaky scheming of their loved ones. The red head winked at them before walking off, leaving them alone.

Regina cleared her throat, a coy smile on her plump lips, "Well… I have to say that you're a step up from the horrendous image of this mystery date I had built up in my head."

Emma smiled, her eyes twinkling. She blew out an incredulous breath, "How did my mother know?"

"Dear, I'm getting the sense that we haven't been discreet with our feelings." Emma lowered the menu and reached across to interlace their fingers.

"What feelings?" Regina tilted her head, her annoyance palpable. Emma clarified, "I need to hear it. If you don't say it, I won't be able to either and I really, _really_ don't want to waste more time."

The brunette nodded imperceptibly, "I don't know when it happened, Emma, but somewhere down the line, this became more than just a great friendship. I started missing you when you left after dinner. My blood began to boil when Hook touched you. I started to dream about us cooking dinner together, stealing kisses as we went. Then you became all I wanted and no one could ever take your place. I tried with Robin and I was miserable. I was and am so scared of losing you that I stayed silent. But you're right, we've wasted so much time."

Regina sucked in a shaky breath and Emma squeezed their intertwined fingers, "I want those dreams to be a reality, Emma. I want you to live with us and bother me as I cook. I want you to sleep next to me, even if you snore so loud you could guide ships through a fog—"

Regina felt a piece of breadstick hit her forehead before falling down her cleavage. They both released an unrestrained laugh; the genuine glee sparked the air. Regina chuckled lightly, "I want to laugh like that, with you, everyday, even at night. I don't want you to go to the apartment after dinner. And… I don't want to regret not telling you the intensity of my love for you."

Emma felt a surge of warmth spread through her chest, "Oh, Gina. I want all of that too. I love you."

Regina smiled warmly before a smirk appeared, "You do realize that we just confessed to loving each other and yet we've never even kissed."

"I think we can fix that." Emma stood from the chair, rounding it slowly, and cupped Regina's cheeks as she leaned in. Their lips connected and both moaned softly. Thundering applause startled them and when they peered around them, they saw that all eyes were on them. The customers were high-fiving, laughing, and smiling. They chuckled in response, especially when they turned and saw Snow clutching at her chest, crying in Charming's arms, and Henry whistling through a large smile.

Emma turned back to Regina, "We're never going to live this down."

Regina leaned in once more, cradling the back of Emma's head as they kissed passionately. They tuned out most of the celebration around them.

But they did manage to hear Granny's gruff voice mutter, "About damn time."

* * *

 **A/N:** We'll see about the next one. I'm day-by-day at this point. But I'm genuinely so excited for season 5 so I may plow through here! What a time to be alive Swen.


	6. Day Six: Act of True Love

**A/N:** Day 6 is act of true love. Rated M for violence. Sorry in advance…

The cocking of the pistol was unbelievably loud in the silent alley way and even though Emma had heard the sound several times throughout her troubled youth, she jumped. She jumped because Morgan had been a friend. She had waltzed into Storybrooke with her beautiful dark brown locks and winning smile, winning over the Sheriff with her sharp wit and attitude.

Emma had liked her. They hung out everyday and drank rum, watched stupid movies. It seemed genuine, especially when they complained about Hook, who was becoming more of a problem than anything. She was beginning to hate her own boyfriend.

But one thing Emma hated more than her lousy, stagnant relationship with the pirate, was being played. And that's what had happened with Morgan le Fay.

She had invited the Sheriff to The Rabbit Hole and Emma agreed readily, canceling her plans with Regina again. She had been neglecting the Mayor and Emma knew it was frustrating the older brunette but new friendships required work. It was easy with Regina because they were two sides of the same coin. They understood each other like no other, especially after Emma experienced the addiction of dark magic and Regina experienced the plights of being the Savior. She knew Regina would always be there, that Regina would never stop being her friend even if the ignoring hurt or aggravated her.

And now, thinking back, she should've listened to her because Regina told her that Morgan was suspicious, too perfect, like she was trying to get close on purpose.

"You're just jealous that I'm not spending time with you! Don't be selfish, Regina. There always has to be an ulterior motive with you. Why? Can't Morgan just like me?" She ran off with a huff, ignoring Regina's calls and texts and attempts to see her. And Emma prayed that she would make it out of this because she had to, _needed to_ , apologize her ass off and make amends with the only friend that ever truly cared just because she loved Emma unconditionally.

"Scared, Dark One?" Morgan's voice was deep, not the soft, high-pitched squeak she had been using throughout their friendship. Apparently even the minute was faked. Emma wanted to fight but Morgan had placed the cuff on her, the one that Hook used on Regina once, and the witch had her frozen in place. She was trapped. And all she wanted was to be in front of the fire at Mifflin, drinking wine and beer with Regina, flirting and joking. She just wanted to be with Regina. She felt so angry with herself. She looked for another friend when she already had an amazing confidant, friend, and… more, if she survived this. Her chances looked slim.

"Why?" Emma tried to buy herself more time. She felt a bit anxious and completely hopeless. Her parents didn't know where she was, Henry was at a sleepover, and Regina was most likely pissed at her.

Morgan chuckled darkly before lifting the barrel of the gun, "I don't think it really matters, Emma. I'm done letting you waste my time."

She watched as Morgan put pressure on the trigger, her body angling into a typical shooting stance. Emma's eyes shut automatically when the trigger was pulled, the sound piercing her ears, making them ring. Her body tensed, waiting for the pain, for _something_.

Then she heard it, a painful gasp. Her eyes snapped open and she saw wisps of purple surrounding her, "No…"

That magic was so recognizable. She felt her heart sink to the floor. The wisps slowly faded to reveal the brunette she loved so much. She felt her blood turn cold as she rounded the brunette.

"Emma…" Regina was holding her abdomen tightly, pain encompassing her features. The brunette's legs buckled and before she could hit the floor, Emma caught her waist and laid her down gently.

"No, no, no, no," Emma felt the stink of tears coming forth as she cupped Regina's cheeks, "No, Regina, please."

The brunette opened her mouth to say something but a cough burst from her lung, causing a trickle of blood to drip from the corner of her lips. Emma felt a sob crawling up her throat as she pressed on the wound, Regina's blood gushing and cover them both. She heard a dark chuckle from behind her and turned her upper body forcefully, never taking away her hands from Regina. She felt a fire in her veins when she saw the sadistic smile on Morgan's face.

"You're going to regret this, you bitch," She growled so deeply, almost primal, and reveled when Morgan's smile diminished, "You can hurt me, kill me. But you hurt _her_ so I will come for you and you better believe I will make you wish you were dead."

Morgan stepped back, reaching for her pistol once more. But before she could act, She heard another loud bang and watched as Morgan's body jolted, blood and bone bursting from her chest ferociously.

"Regina!" _Charming_. Emma felt her emotions spiraling out of control as he ran to them. Regina was losing energy, her eyes slowly shutting, only to flutter open because of the brunette's sheer stubbornness.

"Please, stay awake, okay? You can't leave me, Gina. I'm a fucking mess. I can't do this without you," Regina coughed, sending more blood down her cheek, but her brown eyes showing understanding, "Please, I love you. Please."

By the time Charming crouched by her, Emma was sobbing uncontrollably, her body wracking with sadness, and pressing her palm against the wound, ignoring Regina's pain moaned, knowing that tight pressure could save her.

"Emma, we have to take her to the hospital! Now!" When Emma made no move, unable to calm down, Charming took initiative, scooping the older brunette into his muscled arms. He hurried down the alley, not waiting for his daughter. If he did look back, he would see his princess, _The Dark One_ , picking up a pipe from the trash and beating the lifeless corpse on the asphalt until it's features were no longer recognizable.

She walked into the hospital covered in blood, surely frightening the staff and patients. Luckily, it wasn't her blood so Emma didn't give a damn. Now that her anger simmered, she needed to see Regina, make sure she was okay. She didn't care that she was marring the white floor with streaks of red blood or that her arms were on fire from swinging the pipe so hard and fast for so long or that she felt like a breakdown was imminent at any second. _She needed Regina to be okay._

She sprinted down the sterile hall, up to the main desk where the nurse jumped back at the sight of her. Emma sneered, still feeling the leftover anger squeezing her heart, "Where's Regina?"

The nurse gulped, lifting her hand to point down the hall to the left. Emma swiveled, only to see her mother crying hysterically into Charming's shoulder. Her father was covered in copper blood, Regina's blood. Emma felt a shiver crawl up her spine.

"No, no, no," Emma whispered, taking in the morbid scene before her, "Regina…"

Charming looked up at his daughter after hearing her anguished pleas. He grimaced as Emma dropped to the floor, her knees taking a hard impact.

"Regina…" Emma whispered hoarsely and Charming looked to the floor, rubbing his hands over Snow's shaking back, "Dad, please."

Charming shook his head, his eyes glassy, "Emma…"

Emma watched his face contort and shook her head, not wanting to put together the signs, "No, please! She's okay, right?"

The prince flinched at the pained, loud voice. His daughter looked and sounded so desperate and he just wanted to disappear. He had never dealt with anything like this, "Honey, please, come here."

Emma shook her head again, this time forcefully, almost looking rabid. Emma leaned forward and rested her forehead against the floor, her nails scratching at the surface desperately. The blonde began sobbing, her wails reverberating through the halls, making patients and nurses stand by, watching the wreck as she cried and screamed. Snow looked on, her own anguish never dying down, before pushing her husband toward their daughter.

Charming lowered onto the floor, reaching for Emma's hands, stilling their movement. The blonde turned to lay her cheek onto the floor, peering at her father through blurry eyes.

"What happened to her?" She asked shakily and he screwed his eyes shut, "What happened to my Gina?"

"Emma… She…Oh God…"

 **A/N:** ... To be continued...


	7. Day Seven: Trapped Together

**A/N:** Day 7 is trapped together! This will be a continuation of the last prompt. Rated T.

* * *

Emma stood in front of the mausoleum, staring at the large stone catacomb looming before her.

The shooting had destroyed her emotionally, made her breakdown. Every night, as she cried herself to sleep, Henry would crawl into the bed and whispered into her ear, "She'll wake up. She won't leave us."

And Emma wanted to believe him but the boy had the heart of the truest believer. He was overly optimistic. Regina had been in a coma for weeks and everyone began losing hope, including her parents.

Emma had visited the woman every day, combing her brown hair and holding her thin fingers as she pleaded with the comatose woman to wake up. One night, she turned on the TV that was hung directly in front of Regina's hospital bed. The medical program claimed that people in a coma could hear what was going on around them and that being told to fight or being given incentives could help them wake.

So Emma leaned into the brunette's ear, tucking away strands of greasy locks, "Gina, you scared me so bad that night. You were _so_ pissed at me and you still came to my rescue. I need you to open your eyes so I can show you how much I love you, Regina. I can't… without you I can't feel anything. My heart feels so empty. Please."

She then punctuated her speech with a small peck on those chapped lips. She expected a burst of light and Regina's eyes to burst open with a relieved gasp, like she had seen a handful of times.

But that never happened. Regina deteriorated as the days went on, with Whale spewing medical terms at them about an infection that had caused significant damage to the brain. Regina was brain dead.

And Emma cried until it felt like her throat would bleed from the screaming, the agony. Whale advised the removal of life support. Emma advised him to leave before she ripped out his vocal cords. Snow sobbed, pushing her daughter towards the door, seemingly tired of her anger during such a depressing event. Emma didn't heed the warning, listening in as Charming dealt with the details.

"While her curse was fairly thorough, she did not think of medical situations such as this. We need her next of kin in order to decide what happens next."

"Her next of kin? Henry's the only one that…" Charming trailed off, cursing under his breath, "Henry… he's going to be devastated."

"I know this is a tough time—"

"Do you?" Emma roared, her eyes wide with fury, "Do you fucking understand that I just lost… my best friend is dead."

The blonde's anger dissipated to absolute desolation. She thrust her back against the wall and slid down onto the linoleum, "My best friend… Regina…"

Charming swallowed thickly, his own eyes glossing over, as if the situation had finally hit him. He blew out a shaky breath before turning to Whale, "Are you telling me that I have to go call my seventeen year old grandson to tell him that his mother is dead and that he needs to make decisions for her? Is that what you're telling me?"

Whale raised his hands in surrender, "I'm sorry, truly. But Henry is the only person that can legally make these decisions, such as organ donation, if she wanted to be buried or cremated—"

"Just shut the fuck up," Emma whispered softly, her voice void of malice, "Just… Henry is just a boy. He's going to be so… shit!"

The blonde grabbed onto the plastic bench next to her and squeezed until her knuckles turned white, "I make the decisions, got it?"

Whale opened his mouth to protest but Snow lifted a hand, stopping the doctor in his tracks, "We live in a magically manipulated town where dwarfs mine and Red Riding Hood waitresses. I'm sure you can let Emma make these decisions instead of a young boy. And I know Regina… I knew her… She wouldn't want Henry to do this. She'd want Emma."

And so Emma decided: No organ donation, burial with her parents in the mausoleum, and to not allow anyone to witness when the removal of life support. The inner queen would not want anyone to witness her weakness moment, especially her son and former stepdaughter.

Emma seemed stable, for the most part, all throughout the funeral preparations. She picked and arranged flowers, magically expanded the mausoleum so that the Mill's family could rest side by side, and even wrote a speech.

She and Henry delivered eulogies that afternoon and because of Regina's redemption, it was to a large crowd, almost the entirety of Storybrooke. The processions went off without a hitch and Emma managed to be stoic until she closed her bedroom door that night. Only then did she cry until her eyes and lungs burned, sobs wracking her body. She felt her heart constrict painfully, knowing that her life would always feel dull without the woman she loved.

For a moment, as she stood in front of the bathroom mirror, her glance landed on a bottle of pills her mother took for back pain and she imagined swallowing a handful so that she could reunite with Regina once more, so that she could tell her everything that had been left unsaid, inexperienced. It was strange because Emma was not a religious person, quite opposite in fact. She supposed any idea or mythology that lead her back to those chestnut eyes and blinding smile would be accepted.

But no, she had Henry, who was angry with her, who blamed her. In reality, Emma blamed herself as well. _If_ she had _just_ went to dinner with Regina instead, _if_ she had _just_ ignored Morgan le Fay, _if_ she had _just_ …

 _If_ she had _just_ been a better friend, Regina would've been sipping apple cider at Mifflin, not lying lifeless in a mausoleum.

And everyday, after her shift, Emma went to the catacomb and sat by the stone enclosure, staring at its intricate door and the inscription above it. She would reminisce on the night Regina had punched her, the nasty words she spewed at the brunette, and would whisper as she cried, "You _are_ worth it."

She never ventured inside though, fearful of what lingered in those walls, knowing the vault had become like a second home to the older woman. She was afraid of catching a whiff of Regina's perfume or seeing a photo of them together standing proudly on a shelf. She was scared of breaking down.

But one night, she had a dream that Regina was alive and sprinted to the vault, praying to any and every deity that when she when inside, the tomb would only consist of Cora and Henry, not her Gina. The blonde rushed in, hoping beating against her chest, not noticing that the door clicked when she walked past.

Emma felt dread in the pit of her stomach when she saw that Regina was right there between her parents. She turned angrily, wiping tears from her cheeks, and tried to pry open the door, only to find it locked from the outside. She roughly kicked the door, "Fuck!"

Emma lifted her hands, pulling her hair ferociously, wanting the pain to distract her. She released with a huff, looked upward, and pleaded, "This isn't funny, Regina, okay? You know how much I hate this place."

She looked at the stone that had the brunette's name carved on it, giving it a hard glance, before walking over to it and placing her palm on the cold lid. She squeezed her hand into a fist and lightly bounced it against the stone, "This should've been me, ya know? I was the idiot. I let you down. That bullet was meant for me, not you, and I'm so pissed at you."

Emma let out a sardonic chuckle, "You're probably thinking I'm an ungrateful bitch, right? Yeah, me too."

The blonde pulled out her cell phone, magically giving herself service, and dialing her mother. As she waited for Snow to pick up, she rubbed the slab and smiled, "Let's see if the two idiots can help me out of here, huh?"

In her mind, she could imagine Regina's amused smirk and twinkling eyes. She shut her eyes and let the image take over, chuckling as she thought of what the brunette would say.

"Emma? Are you alright?" The blonde sighed, hearing the desperation in her mother's voice. She looked down at Regina's placard and shook her head, feeling tears gather in the corners of her eyes.

"No," She whispered, "I'm locked in the Mills Mausoleum."

"The Ma—Emma, what are you doing there during the middle of the night?"

"Please… just come get me out of here." Snow sighed, obviously displeased with being woken at three in the morning. Emma found she didn't really give a damn, not when her best friend was in the coffin right next to her. Her mother hung up and Emma dropped the cell into her jacket pocket, zipping it up.

She leaned onto the slab, pressing her cheek against it, "I miss you so much. You have no idea. And Henry, he misses you like crazy. He's angry with me and I get it. I'm angry with me too."

Emma sighed, frustrated at her inability to form the sentiment she felt. She tried once more, "You… You were the better mother, you know? You scolded him for being late and fed him peas and helped with algebra. You were the mom. I taught him how to give a signal while snooping and how to eat a bear claw without dirtying the shirt you pressed for him. I was the friend. And not that you're not here, I just doesn't mesh, I guess. He wants me to solve formulas with him and yell at him to brush his teeth, but I don't do that. I don't know how. I need you to be here because… it will always feel like there's an empty spot at our table, in our hearts, in our homes. It just isn't… a family without you."

The blonde took a shaky breath, "I'm not the Emma everybody loved without you. Henry's not the excitable optimist without you. Snow isn't amusing without you. Charming doesn't seem as idiotic without you here to point out his mistakes. There's something missing. You're missing… and I started to feel hopeless and I want to leave. I want to run. But this time, I want to run to a place where there is not return. I don't know where you are but I want to be there. I don't want to live anymore. I'm fighting this feeling for Henry, I really am. I'm just struggling right now."

Emma allowed her eyes to slip shut, her hands moving slightly, feeling the smooth rock below her heated palms, "But the thing I hate most about this is the what ifs and the things I never got to do. I never got to ask you out on a date or ask you to marry me or make you pancakes on your birthday or just lounge in bed all day. I never got to say I love you, not the way I wanted to. Not while you're bleeding out or in a coma, but on a beach or under the stars. I know you're probably thinking I'm such a loser for being so romantic but I also know that deep down you'd love every minute of it."

"I still want to do those things and that hurts so bad. I've read through every spell book and they all say the same thing. Death is irreversible. But I'm never going to stop searching, Regina, because I never give up on the ones I love. I'll find a way and we'll be able to do those things. I promise."

Emma lifted her head, propping her chin on the lid. She clumsily toyed with the edge of the nameplate before tracing the letters. She heard her parent's truck pull up outside and straightened herself out, making sure to wipe away her tears with her sleeve.

* * *

The bell above the shop door chimed and Rumple turned to see The Dark One waltzed in. He shelved the object he had been shining, giving the blonde his full attention.

"Hello, Ms. Swan. How may I assist you?"

"I need help."

"Yes, I got that," He frowned, taking in her disheveled appearance, "Are you alright, Sheriff?"

"Is there a way to bring her back?" Rumple didn't need clarification. The Sheriff had been sulking for weeks, spiraling into a depression so deep that she put Snow's time after Cora to shame.

"Well, dearie, you know that death cannot be undone. Maleficent was a magical death and therefore gave me power to reverse it. Regina died at the hands of a woman and her pistol," He watched, intrigued, as Emma's features dimmed considerably. He jolted when a thought came to him, "However…"

Emma's eyes widened with hope, "Yeah?"

Rumple lifted a palm, asking for a moment to collect her thoughts. He tilted his head, "Zelena perfected her time traveling years ago. It is possible for you to go back to that night and… change things in your favor."

Emma felt a silver of hope bubble in her chest, "Would that work?"

"Well if you did manage to save Regina, history would rewrite itself. You would be the only one to remember this version of events." Emma couldn't stop the choked sob that was released from her lungs. Rumple had been her last hope. She ran out of ideas, spell book pages, and magical items days before. She had been gaining the courage to ask the former Dark One what he thought but she worried that if Rumple had nothing to add, she would truly be at a dead end, her hope crushed, her promise broken.

She smiled for the first time since she had been trapped in the vault and leaned over, giving Rumple a dramatic kiss on the cheek, before running off, "I never thought I'd say this Gold but you're a lifesaver."

* * *

She landed with a thunk onto the alleyway concrete. She groaned loudly, feeling loose rocks dig into her back and elbows.

"Emma?" The blonde snarled automatically at that all too familiar voice. She turned and gazed at Morgan, a fire burning in her veins. The woman looked the same, wearing that gaudy black dress, boots, and necklace. Emma knew that in the original timeline, Morgan was gearing up to put the cuff on her so she needed to act fast. She just wasn't sure what to do. Her first instinct was to kill the bitch, make her die a painful death. But she knew she couldn't. That was not how she wanted to start this new life.

"Morgan," She growled and watched the fearful confusion in those familiar eyes. Emma called forward her dark magic and sent a blast of energy at the woman, sending her flying into the brick wall of The Rabbit Hole. Morgan dropped from the air and landed on the floor, unconscious and limp. Emma jumped up from the ground and walked over to the woman, taking her metal cuffs from her waistband and placing them on Morgan's wrists. The pistol and magic cuff were removed and thrown into her red leather jacket. She conjured some rope, tying the woman's feet together and to the cuffs. She then sent Morgan to one of the cells at the station.

Only then did she release a relieved breath, her hands shaking, before sprinting toward Mifflin. As she ran, the wind blowing against her face, a smile overtook her features. She would see Regina, alive and well, after months of missing and yearning for her. She moved quicker, her agile body running on adrenaline. Her lungs and calves were burning but she couldn't think of anything but those beautiful brown eyes.

The white house came into view and Emma let out a childish laugh. Just as she started up the pathway, the front door opened and Regina hurried out. The two almost collided but Emma caught the brunette by the waist, bringing their faces close, their noses caressing. Emma beamed, taking in Regina's features and revealing in the life she felt emanating off of the brunette.

"Emma, I was just going to—"

"I know," Emma closed the space between them, sealing their lips soundly. Regina let out a startled moan, her fingers tangled in blonde hair, bringing Emma closer. She pulled back and chuckled when she saw the lust clear on Regina's face, "God, I've missed you so much."

She felt her eyes sting as Regina quirked a brow, "It's your fault, Emma. You ignored me and treated me horridly! You chose her over me several times and I—"

"I'm sorry," Emma breathed, her excitement too high to be dampened by Regina's frustration, "I'm an idiot. That has been well established. I should've never left you behind or made you feel like a second choice. Regina, you will always be my first choice. I will never make that mistake again. You're worth it. I love you so much."

Regina eyes widened, a small, hopeful smile appearing, "You… you—"

"I love you." Emma said it with such certainty, her tone leaving no room for second-guessing. And it was genuine. The blonde had lived without Regina and she never wanted that ever again. Regina searched emerald eyes.

The brunette lifted her hands to cup Emma's cheeks, "I love you too, Emma."

The blonde finally felt an intense relief flood through her as Regina leaned back in for another kiss. Emma smiled into the lip lock, her fingers running through silky brown hair. And she held on tightly because this was her happy ending. She wouldn't let Regina slip through her fingers.

Because Regina was worth it.

* * *

 **A/N:** Well, that's it! Swan Queen Week is over! This was my first time participating and it's been … strenuous. I can't wait to read the work of other's. Let's hope for an amazing season for Emma and Regina!


End file.
